Pulverizer/classifiers for crushing coal and ore are well known and are described in my previously granted U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,751 and 5,090,631. One popular pulverizer/classifier comprises a milling bowl which rotates about a vertical axis and is contacted by several large spring biased pressure wheels. The material to be pulverized drops onto the center of the bowl and moves radially outwardly toward the crusher wheels. Air passes upwardly through a vane structure which is mounted to or near the outer periphery of the milling bowl. The vane structure includes a plurality of angled vanes mounted between concentric race structures. In the case of a rotating vane structure, the inner race structure is affixed to the outer periphery of the milling bowl. In the case of a stationary vane structure, the outer race is attached to the crusher wall.
The air passing upwardly through the vane structure entrains the crushed material. The lighter, more thoroughly pulverized material travels upwardly out of the housing for use as fuel for a burner in a steam powered turbine. Heavier, less thoroughly pulverized material falls back down toward the milling bowl where it is again contacted by the crusher wheels until the pulverizing function is thorough enough for that material to be carried up and out by the air stream passing through the vane structure.